Mass Effect: Beyond
by C0LEGATE
Summary: "When your back's against the wall...don't run from it, use it." That's something Scott would always remember his dad saying. The man wasn't the one to speak but when he does it was always worth remembering. Forward. That's Scott can look to, Andromeda is going to be the ultimate challenge...is he up for?
1. A Night to Remember

_-2185-Nexus_

Scott stared profoundly at the woman across the atrium converted dance hall who was happily conversing with her asari companion and his father Alec. She looked radiant in the slim black dress that fitted her slender body well, showing those perfectly toned legs of hers. _"That smile... those lips...damn."_

Scott's mind pondered as he idly sips his whiskey. Jien Garson, the wealthy figurehead of the Andromeda Initiative, threw this little shindig for all Initiative personnel and their families as one final hurrah before everyone says _"Bye bye Milky Way!"_ with her dear friend Matriarch Nuara who was looking ever so graceful in her long white gown, co hosting this fiesta. Scott could not keep his eyes off the both of them. This was his last night in this galaxy, the last memory to be shared here in the Milky Way. This needed to be a night to remember, for it was to be an estimated six century nap once they get into cryo. So what could go better than _chasing_ for some action?

He was wearing his best get up, a black on black italian suit that complimented his athletic figure. His hair kept in a nice smooth brush back.

This party was coming along well, everyone in evening wear with strobe lights flashing and club music pulsing from the dj booth as if it was senior prom. The mood was nice and he was looking good by his standards thus confident that his conquest was to be assured. "You know you're like _half_ her age?" spoke his sister Sarah, coming up to him wearing a nice cocktail dress with her in curly ponytail. Knowing her brother she knew whom he was ogling at.

Scott dawn a sly smile, "Her being older than me doesn't matter, _fine_ is _fine._ "

"And Nuara?" snorted Sarah smirking knowing that he was eyeing her too.

"Asari age like wine, the older they get the tastier they are."

Sarah rolled her eyes, laughing in disgust, "God you're ridiculous."

"Hey Garson and Nuara seem to always be in each other's company, you don't think they're _more_ than just friends because if so then that would be...just…. _amazing_ "

Sarah couldn't find the words to retort only making more groans of disgust, shaking her head at brother's juvenility not wanting to even imagine what tawdry little image he was drawing up in his head. A server carrying an empty tray walks past them, Scott placed his near empty glass for the server's tray walking in the direction to where Garson was. "I'm going to have a chat."

"You're trekking in uncharted territory Scott." Sarah said. Scott stopped in his walk and turned to his sister smiling, "I'm an ex-marine trained in hostile warfare now turned interplanetary explorer. Conquering unknown territory is what I do."

* * *

Cora wasn't into to all this fanfare. In fact, she'd rather be back on the Hyperion finishing any final check-ups before the big launch tomorrow. Steadily holding her cocktail looking out to the sea of stars from the viewing glass her mind tries to compress on what was happening. _"Damn this is really going to be it._ " Different galaxy, new worlds. After all these years of planning and organizing Garson had everything ready to pull this off and it took Cora just now for her mind to gather it all in. She had spent years going through all the training, from establishing protocol, to preliminary briefings all were set for her duty as the second to the human Pathfinder. It was hard, and training was vigorous but she was up for it. But if her old commando unit taught her one thing it was to be ready for anything now matter the stress.

But for tonight... no stress.

As to what Initiative's director wanted when she threw this get-together. It seemed nice for Cora, seeing all these masses of people around, humans, turians, asari, salarians, even krogan. All under one roof having a grand time, getting drunk, dancing, laughing. It would seem rather dumb if Cora didn't enjoy herself this one night. She put on her best attire, a nice dark blue short evening dress. She of course never thought she'd be spending her last night in the Milky Way in a dress but she decided to do something out of mind for once. Of course, her outfit did cause a few gazes from the unwanted eyes along with the occasional pickup lines from every simpleton who thought that since they had a few shots of vodka that they were in sudden liquid courage. Cora was quick to shoot down with a jabbing words not wanting to use her fist to speak for her even though she wanted to.

She of course to see what her pathfinder was up to. Cora had to admit that she was kinda eager to see what Alec Ryder would be like in a casual setting but looking over to find him chatting with director Jein Garson and Nuara even then he seemed uptight it was almost laughable. Walking over she is slightly nudged by the back of a male human, causing some of her drink to spill.

"Ah! Whoa sorry!" he says. But his face quickly turned from alert to attracted when catches a glimpse of her. "Nice dress." he continued, the dude was slightly taller than her, brawny shoulders, dark skin, and thick hair kept into a blow out style. Cora recognized him as crew on the Hyperion however the guy did not yet recognize her. A good time to tease him.

"Thanks Kosta, I'd try to look my best when given the chance." said Cora almost grinning to laugh.

"Yeah well…" Kosta caught his words as his brain finally catches up to whom he was speaking to. "Oh shit lieutenant Harper! I almost didn't...well….I mean you do look great….uh…."

"It's alright Liam, don't run your mouth off your face." Cora said, still laughing.

Despite Cora's approaching stature Liam still couldn't shake off the awkward rubbing the back of his neck "Again, sorry about the bump again I didn't see you."

"It's fine. With all the dimness along with strobe lights and mirror balls lighting up the place I find it hard to almost see myself amidst this crowd."

"Hey let me get you another one." Liam suggested that made Cora raise an eyebrow smirking a little. "Getting me drinks already Kosta? Is that your game, bumping into me like that and all?" she teases.

"What?!" Liam was back feeling the lowly pressure, "No I...I just wanted…"

Cora was laughing at him again "Relax, I was just heading to the bar anyway, this drink's gone stale we can go together."

* * *

Alec Ryder tried to look presentable wearing an average tux putting on what his daughter Sarah describe _a vorcha undergoing colonoscopy_ to what Alec retorted was a _smile_. But all this partying wasn't much his style. However, he was the human pathfinder and putting on an appearance was what Jien wanted from him today so thus he'd obliged. He did all he could to this soiree mingling and stuff, only keeping the company with Garson and Matriarch Nuara a few other directors.

He had just finished telling Garson and the Matriarch a story on how he was once stranded on an asteroid back in his N7 days when he saw his son approach them and turned to greet him. "Ah! Scott!" He clasps his son on the shoulder to pull him in close to introduce him to the two elegant women.

"Jien, Matriarch Nuara, you remember my son Scott?"

Jien eyed the younger Ryder tentatively, he was almost as tall as his father but stopped short an inch over Alec's broad shoulders. She could see where the son favored his father in looks, the brow, nose, and almost the chin was slightly the same but everything else was different. The rest of the features from his mother perhaps? Where Alec had dark black near graying hair, Scott was a dark auburn and as Alec's eyes were brown, Scott's were a wide soft blue. In fact, those blue eyes were staring directly into Jien's black ones and it quite put her off for a moment with his intense stare. As if he was trying to stare directly into her soul. The kid knew how to make serious eye contact she had to award him a point on that one.

Scott extended his hand for a shake, smiling his bright smile as he was glad that his father did the first step for him. "Nice to see you, the both of you," he says in an ever so genuine tone.

"Scott here is the Hyperion's reconnaissance specialist. He's got the perception like a hawk. Perfect for when we get groundside to gather intel on what we need for settling." Alec continued. Scott continued to smile, thankful that his dad was being the perfect wingman in this little endeavor despite his father not knowing.

"As so I've heard, you father told me you were trained in what was it... _tactical reconnaissance_ during your time in the Alliance." said Jien.

"Yes, ma'am. I also have experience training in advance hostile environmental warfare and received a commendation in combat engineering. Skills I can't wait to put to the test in Andromeda."

"No need for the resume Scott, I'm sure you're qualified for the assigned job." laugh Jien happily.

" _I've got a whole lot to give Jien, and I'd be happy to show you."_ Is what he wanted to say but his father was standing next to him. "Just giving you the details ma'am." was what he really said trying to sound the ever so professional. "I'm letting you know that my skills will support our Pathfinder indefinitely as well as the Initiative's."

" _Hostile environmental warfare_?" Nuara spoke, " _Combat engineering?_ That's something for battle not exploring."

"Well if I may explain myself, madam, I see a battlefield and a new frontier are alike in a way." Scott interjected "They're both unknowns as in you can't expect the exact outcome. When exploring a new world you gotta go at it like charging out of a trench, you gotta have _heart_ and you gotta have _guts_. That's all the skills we going to truly need once we're in Andromeda."

Jien's full lips curved into a sly smile, " _Gotta have heart, Gotta have guts_." she said repeating it, "I like that." Her pearly white teeth flashing as she spoke, it made Scott's stomach lowly burn in a sense of desire. That smile and the low tone of her voice had set him off. Scott had to say something, he had to let her know just how he wanted to _show_ his appreciation towards her on allowing him and sister to embark on this great expedition. He wanted to tell her what kind of woman she was to him more or less demonstrate it. He didn't care if his father was standing next to him the man was too blunt to notice anything sensual coming off of his son anyway. All that matter was Jien. "I…" His words slowed for he was still a little distracted by her radiance, "I never got tell you how much I appreciate you having me and my sister to come aboard the Initiative on short notice."

Jien waved a hand with a shrug, "Don't fret over it darling, your father speaks highly of you and you sister. And I wasn't about to drag him off to another galaxy and leave you two behind. It seems only right if you were to come along."

She called him _darling_ that made the desire burned more, he had to engage her more give the woman subtle hints of an attractiveness and see she would pick on. "Yes well, I…"

A sharp slap of hand hit him on the shoulder stopping Scott in his words, his sister comes tugging him while still in her grasp. "Scott there you are!" She piped sounding ever so innocent. "They just brought out a new batch of those shrimp rolls you kept you asking for. Come on and get some before it's too late I overheard a krogan saying he could eat a whole platter in one gulp."

"I'm _not_ hungry." Scott spoke through gritted teeth.

"Sure…." Sarah trailed eyeing him... _no….glaring_ at him giving the look to move his ass as she tries to pull him away. "Come on, you've been whining about them all night." She says jerking him into stumbling steps with enough might to give, she looks to the other adults to give a farewell, "Ms. Garson, Matriarch Nuara. Dad." Before dragging him away.

"The hell Sarah?!" Scott spoke now that they were out an earshot.

"They're together." said Sarah plainly.

"What?"

"Nuara and Garson. They're together, I was speaking to one aides that work for the Matriarch, she told me."

Scott looked over back into the direction where Garson was. "Aw shit."

"You did _call_ it. But I wasn't about to let you make a fool of yourself in front of the director especially with dad standing right next to you. I mean really!? Come on!"

"I thought I was rather smooth," Scott said, straightening the lapel of his suit. Sarah rolled her eyes, "Please. I could see you _drooling_ from here."

"Look around _Don Juan_ there's plenty of other girls to go around." teased Sarah. A leering grin printed her brother's face, "Who was the ginger I saw you talking to earlier?"

"Huh?"

"The one with the accent."

"You mean Suvi? She works with the science team, they're set to be stationed on the Nexus."

Both of Scott's eyebrows raised, his eyes beaming that exciting glow of his, looking to the crowd of people to as if to scan for her. Sarah only shook her head giggling a little. "Don't get your hopes up, you're….not her _type_."

"Oh please." Scott huffed, "I'm everyone's type."

"NO." his sister boomed trying to sound serious. "You lack something that she's _interested_ in."

"Ummm…." Scott's mind was a on a race trying to figure out what Sarah meant but then it finally clicked. "Oh…" he said, his eyes wide. "Perhaps you have a better chance with her then?"

Sarah only glared at her brother, she swears she could slap that damn evil smile of his off his face. He always could be annoying with his teasing. "Perhaps you're right." Sarah said defiantly, "Better chance than you." she muttered walking away.

* * *

Cora found herself back out looking at space again this time isolated from the crowd in a small parlor of the ballroom. She couldn't understand why but the stars kept drawing her away from everything and everyone. She had gather drinks with Kosta earlier and then wound up at a card table with him, a few people stationed to the arks Hyperion and Leusinia, after losing, of course, she grabs a cocktail glass of those delicious shrimp rolls and found herself in this quiet corner of peace and oblivion.

"It's surreal isn't." said a voice.

Cora looked over her shoulder to find that she was joined by one of Alec's kids, Scott as she remembered. "Yeah." sighed Cora looking back out.

"I'm sorry, I hope I wasn't disturbing you." said Scott. Cora shook her head patting the empty cushion of the sofa she was sitting on. "You can sit if you want."

Scott plops his bottom in the chair, a whiff of his cologne coming into Cora's sense of smell. Soft lavender with a thick smoky touch of vanilla. _"Hmmm, nice."_ Cora pondered, _"He can clean up pretty well."_

It was hard to wrap around that Scott was the son of Alec Ryder. After the years of knowing Alec and the year and a half of getting to know Scott, she could see that both Ryder men were the exact polar opposite.

Alec was gruff and small spoken, a letting his _actions_ speak for himself than his words _,_ kind of guy. While Scott was very open about himself, a person to be first to engage in conversation. She remembered Dr. Lexi T'Perro's medical evaluation of him: _"Like a puppy who just learn to walk but chooses to run instead."_ As she recalled. Their sense of style was different too, while Alec clumsily wore that basic tux of his, Scott was wearing a well fitted swanky Italian suit who was no doubt getting a few side glances.

"Anyone you're leaving behind?" Scott asked.

Cora popped a shrimp roll in her mouth while shaking her head. "No not really." she says with a mouth filled with food. She could say her parents, but she left them behind years ago. "Anything you're leaving behind? Even though your father and sister are coming along."

"My mom…" Scott spoke a low and somber tone. Cora sharply swallowed her food, feeling almost as if she offended. "Pardon?"

"Her grave." Scott continued, "Who's gonna put flowers on it when I'm gone huh?"

Cora felt as if she crossed a line, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean-

"No. You only asked." Scott caught her in between words, sounding a bit more upbeat. "This is going to be it eh?" he says gazing at the stars, an ocean full of bright orbs with a soft mix of gasses of orange and red churning in together. He could a feel a little hurt in his heart. The Milky Way, the place of Earth his homeworld, the seed of his birth.

"Yeah I guess it is." said Cora easing back into the sofa, "Better drink it all in now, cause tomorrow there's no looking back."

"Only forward right?" said Scott.

Cora nods her head, "Right."

Scott smiled his mind trailing back to all this and how he got here. He then ponders off back to the thought of his mother's gravestone. It almost felt like he was leaving her behind. He remembers bringing that topic up with his father shortly after joining the Initiative, _"Your mother's with you. Always. You'll be carrying her to Andromeda in your own kind of way."_ His dad had told him and his sister.

"Yeah." Scott spoke softly to himself. "Always." His eyes popped up to see a server gracefully holding a platter of wine. " _Drink it all in_ huh?" Scott said looking to Cora.

Cora was wondering what the Ryder was trying to say. "I did...so?"

Scott rose from his seat brisked his way to the server, "Who are these drinks for if I may ask?" The server a salarian smile and gleefully answered, "They're edible for asari, salarian and human guests. _Levo_ based. Ms. Garson wants to have a toast."

Scott took two, "That's all I needed to know." he said walking back over to Cora.

Cora saw Scott coming over with the alcohol and laughed. "I cannot drink another drink." she says shaking her head palming her face.

"Come on." Scott begged handing her a glass.

Garson waited until she found everyone holding a glass of wine. "Alright everyone!" she beamed, "I like to say something before we toast!" The hall set their focus on her, Garson had a way of doing that drawing a mass of people to silence a room. She held her glass tentatively and smiled, "Tomorrow we make the greatest sacrifice we have ever...or will ever, make." she began. "The message I left with the Hyperion is similar to the one I'm saying to you now. You are about to embark on a journey unlike anything ever attempted before. And make no mistake…

This is a one-way trip. What all those politicians, naysayer, and threats don't understand is that we are here together, because we believe in something they don't. We put our effort and our faith into something those people can't imagine, can't even begin to understand. In other words, _they_ are wrong."

A few bit of _"Hear! Hear!"_ were heard along with some encouraging clapping and cheers. Garson waited for them to simmer down then continued. "The circumstances that have led to the creation of this magnificent station are vast and varied, that much is true. We all know some of these reasons. None of us can know them all not even me. Yet they are only part of the equation. You and I...are the other part.

Each and every one of us has our own reasons for volunteering to go and those too are legion. Some of us feel a sense of duty. Some of us do indeed fear what the future has in store for the Milky Way. We flee our past, we seek a future. We wish to begin anew. We crave the unexplored wonders that no doubt will reshape all that we know."

The crowd roars with encouraging cheers again, quieting themselves once more for Garson to continue to speak. "All equally valid in my estimation but that's not important here. What is important as we depart, what I want to be sure you all know as you prepare to cross this ocean of time and space, is this…

None of those reasons matter anymore. Not for us. What matters now, for you and me, is what we do when we arrive. Who we become .and how we carry ourselves in Andromeda. We journey in one of the most incredible marvels our species have ever created. Built in a spirit of cooperation that is without precedence in our galactic history we with us, collectively, centuries of culture, millennia of government, beliefs, of languages and art, incredible knowledge and incredible sciences. Hard won things, the result of endless work, unfathomable suffering and, most importantly, the efforts of countless billions of sentient beings over millennia and across dozens of worlds."

Garson treads on, "We carry all these things like the honed tools of an artist to our empty canvas. To Andromeda, We go to paint our masterpiece." she says, people doing a small clap. "So I say to you now what Pathfinder Alec Ryder just said to me. I will see you all on the other side...When the real work can begin." The people laughed and cheered, roared with praise. The speech was phenomenal.

Garson raised her glass as did everyone else, with wine high in the air, Garson smiled her perfect smile and spoke once more "So here's to you, for as another Ryder told me the two things you've gotta have for this venture of ours and I myself see it here in this very room, you all got _heart_ and you all got _guts_!" The hall raises their glasses then taking a sip to their toast.

Cora did as well taking a small sip, "Not bad." she said savoring the taste. "Here's to not looking back." Scott said wanting that to be their own personal toast. Cora obliged, "Here's to not looking back." She clinked his glass on his.

"Cheers." said Scott sipping down his wine in one gulp.

 _ **A/N: HiIII! THX for reading...I'll try to keep this updated regularly as I try to finish up school for the semester (damn finals). So a little note, the speech Garson gave is actually originally from the novel Mass Effect: Nexus Uprising by Jason Hough and K.C Alexander(good read btw), so all credit goes to them. In the book, it was stated that the Initiative did throw down the day before journeying off and Garson did do that little speech. If there are any grammar errors I will look back on them to fix so please be mindful. Criticism is welcome as long as its constructive and please give a review, I like to see how this is going so any input or pointers would be great. THX Again xoxo! :)**_


	2. Sleep Tight

_2185-Hyperion_

* * *

Named after the great titan of human mythology, Hyperion was set to carry 20,000 human colonists into Andromeda like it's sister arks: Natanus built for the turians, Leusinia the asari, and Paarchero made salarian for colonists. Standing at more than a one and a half kilometers longs with the weight of 17 million metric tons, Ark Hyperion holds the rank as one of the largest starships ever built. Its construction was held in the human home system of Sol around the orbit of Earth's moon Luna. It's main personnel was a crew of twelve hundred. The ark's captain, Nozomi Dunn a former captain of the _SSV Columbus_ an Alliance survey ship, Dunn had an experience in directing starships in unexplored territory.

* * *

Fitted with an advanced AI, _System Adaptive Matrix_ along with its own wired set personal VI, the ark's technology itself bore no rival within any known ship throughout the galaxy. Another interesting feature was the ark's ODSY drive system an engine core designed for sustained FTL in dark space. Although FTL was itself a great leap of speed, traveling through the complete openness of _nothing_ was still a gathered amount of time. Scientists calculated that the travel time between both galaxies would take six to seven centuries tops, that was almosts an asari's lifetime, no known species but the krogan could live that long and neither the krogan nor the asari would want to age away while flying in complete darkness so cryogenic sleep had to be the case of travel.

The course of departure took years to plot but the ark's navigators had it squared away. First, it was to be a relay jump to the Ismar Frontier, a cluster on the far fringe of known Council space into the _Faia_ system. Their ODSY drive core would activate sending the ark on a heavy jump out of the cluster and thus out of the Milky Way.

Everyone on the Hyperion was on a clockwork work order. Today was launch day, a date set for the archives which were to start the great journey no being in the galaxy has done before. Every one on board was scrambling from workstation to workstation, departure time was coming up and everything had to be in _top_ condition. Non-essential items and areas had to be shut off to conserve power, logistics such as in supplies and emergency fail safes needed to be accounted for. And _everyone_ needed to be aboard for as when the Hyperion makes that jump and you're not on it….well you're _s.o.l_.

Scott was in the operations center on the habitation deck doing some assigned work. Per also being the Pathfinder's stationed reconnaissance specialist, Scott also had two jobs on the Hyperion. Captain Nozomi Dunn had given him the job with the Pathfinder logistics team were he, would assist shuttle pilot's Kirkland and Fischer in handling the armory and orders for groundside missions. The other job given by his father was to work in engineering which predominantly involved him around tending to SAM when his father couldn't at times.

Simple work as any but Scott was battling a leering headache that kept creeping on him like a thresher maw in the desert making giving it some difficulty in completing his task much quicker. The origin, too much _whiskey_. He wouldn't call it a hangover, (well he wouldn't admit it) just feeling a little dry mouth and a tummy ache. Nothing a six hundred year power nap could not fix ...and a glass of water...with lime...or maybe some ginger ale? Last night was a good way to send off from the galaxy, nothing like telling the Milky Way to fuck off with two of his favorite things in the world, _whiskey_ and _ass_. Scott decided not to further prey on Garson or Nuara for the sake of family honor and the time he spent with Cora was fun but he kept it at a professional level, it just seemed weird hooking up with your dad's X.O. you know? So he instead settled for one of the communications officers stationed on Ark Leusinia, that asari could do things with a singularity Scott never thought possible.

Scott checked his datapad reading energy levels, "My side's green SAM, how's your end?"

A low mechanical voice echoes in Scott's ears, _**"Risks of failed systems in low possibility. Functionality at one hundred percent."**_

There were at times where Scott wished SAM didn't sound all to technical all the time. Just a " _Yeah everything's good."_ would suffice. Yes SAM is an A.I. and thus sounding like a machine was a default but A.I. are not your average tech, they were machines with personality and SAM sounded like he had not one. But Scott knowing that it was his father who designed, program and thus created SAM and given the lack of personality his dad had, Scott couldn't really blame SAM for that.

Scott opened his omni, "Testing scans." He scanned a potted shrub that was there as decoration waiting for SAM to relay the data. "Copy?"

It's info popping up on a holographic screen showing that it was a piece of unnecessary plastic. _**"Scan complete. Reading viability cleared."**_

" _Dunn to Chief Petty Officer Ryder. Dunn to Ryder."_ spoke captain Dunn through his omni on a comm channel.

Scott hated when Dunn would use his rank, he hated his rank more or less. Chief Petty officer was to _Navy_ and Scott spent his days with a rank as a marine. But the ranks were nominal given this was a civilian ship and only given to Pathfinder squads, so no real military hierarchy. "Go head captain." said Scott.

" _How're things on deck-3?"_

"Everything's in the clear ma'am. Just finished core energy check-up."

" _Good, I need you at the shuttle bay and check with Kirkland, Fischer, and Greer to see if they finished up with the ongoing cargo before your father's shuttle arrives. Once he's here we'll do the last check up before heading to cryo."_

"Aye aye." Scott closed his omni. "Funny, a few years back I fought A.I. back on the Citadel and now I'm making sure one of them has enough juice once we go through darkspace." he said walking to the tram that takes him to the lower decks.

" _ **I find that comparison to be a bit objectionable."**_ spoke SAM abruptly.

"How so?"

" _ **The geth you fought were rogue and had no appreciation towards any form of life. They were ienate constructs rebelling against the one's they owe their creation to. I do not endorse such ideas. I have no intention nor motive to harm you."**_

"You're both A.I." Scott tries to explain, "That's the similarities."

" _ **Oil and water are both liquids."**_ SAM interjects. Scott then understood what SAM was trying to imply.

"I see…" He says. The tram immediately arriving at its station on which Scott steps off. "It was wrong of me to try to generalize you, I wasn't trying to lump you into those psycho robots sorry."

" _ **There is no need for apologies Scott, I understand the reason why you would look at me in the way as you would with the geth. They were the first interaction you had with artificial intelligence and they were trying to kill you."**_

"Yes and I can see you're not them."

" _ **Exactly. Thus the point I'm trying to make."**_

Scott laughed a little to himself. There were times SAM could really make him crack a smile even though the A.I. wasn't trying to. "SAM, to me you're not crazy an A.I... To me, you're more like the creepy voice in my head."

" _ **In theory, I am the creepy voice in your head."**_

"Exactly." Scott said with a sly grin, "Thus the point I'm trying to make."

He touched the back of his head feeling for the small lining stitch that was barely visible due to hair starting to overpass it. That was where they put that implant in. He remembers shortly after signing on with the Initiative that his father briefs both Sarah and him about SAM and how the A.I. will serve them operationally to Pathfinders and their squads. SAM would work via neural implant. Scott had immediately objected to the idea,barking off on how crazy this was and that had the Alliance had caught wind of this they would've done more than discharged his father they would've arrested him. Alec was quick to shoot Scott down, however, showing that the implant would not be a danger for it was of the same patent design from his mother's work on biotic implants. Scott's mother Ellen, a leading pioneer in neural biotic interfaces. It was something to calm Scott down to. Knowing the much work she had put into that it eventually lead to her death, how dedicated and concrete she was. Scott then grew trusting towards the idea of putting an A.I. in his brain since SAM was his father's work and the implants was that of his mother's then he could at least be lenient to the idea and so under the knife he went.

* * *

At the shuttle/cargo port, the entire area was already packed to the brim with supplies and vehicles. The Hyperion's main logistics team were already squared away in working, moving and stacking all items into a log. The area was vast in width and had the size to fit the entirety of an Alliance cruiser inside it which could be no surprise, the ark itself stood at one and a half kilometers long with the weight of seventeen million metric tons. The Hyperon was _big._

The shuttle port had its bay area doors open for transport shuttles were ongoing, moving in and out of the station to bring in more supplies and people aboard. To keep the staff and other things from sucking out in the vacuums of space, an idiotize kinetic shield was brought up in the door's threshold. Giving off a nice viewing vista of Earth still visible from the distance they were in.

Coming to where the shuttles were parked, he could see both Kirkland and Fischer handing off crates supplies and other assorted cargo into its designated areas off the space crafts. The shuttles were of the _UT-47_ Kodiak design, the same model used in the Alliance but were disarmed and refabricated with a civilian make. Garson wanted to make it perfectly clear that this Initiative was for the purpose of research and discovery only, so no military ships and thus the Kodiaks were built to carry science equipment and not guns.

Fischer was just stepping off the shuttle lugging a heavy set crate glaring at Kirkland who was sitting down atop another crate looking at a holo-screen on his omni. He was getting a little annoyed with both he and Greer lugging all this crap off these damn flying bricks. Greer, however, looked like he had no problem, in height he was taller than both Kirkland and Fischer, and in weight, the man was way more muscular. But it seemed that Greer used his brains than his muscles as to what he showed Fischer when easily picking up the heavy crate and placing it on the hover-cart that was already carrying few crates of cargo. "Used the lift." he says to Fischer, "It's easier that way."

Fischer only grunted feeling shamed by the man's simple suggestion and thus turned his attention to Kirkland who was still on his omni, "Will you come on!" he shouted to the man. "Dunn wanted this shit moved from the Kodiaks hours ago, we're going into cryo soon hurry up!"

Kirkland shot Fischer a fierce glare placing a finger over his lips to shush the man. "Just got this message from my daughter." He taps a button for his omni to play the audio recording loudly, _**"Mommy says we're going to bed now, night night daddy….love you!"**_ A smile pursed his face, Greer dawned a wide smile while Fischer himself eased up on being hostile with his teammate. "They're on the Nexus right?" Greer asked.

"Yeah." Kirkland spoke closing his omni and getting to his feet to help finish up. "My wife's works in botany so they had her stationed there with the rest of the civvies best that way."

"Gentlemen!" Scott beamed approaching them, "Dunn sent me here to watch over you _girl scouts_." he teased. Fischer grinned "Fuck off dickhead!" he says going back to his work.

"That's _chief petty officer_ dick head." Scott retorted.

"Oh look at you." spoke Greer, he was helping Fischer load the cargo onto the hover lift, "Liking your new _squid_ rank eh Ryder?" he continued.

 _Squid_ , being the derogatory slur marines would refer to navy personnel. Scott knew how much of an insult that was there and thus shot Kirkland an amused look giving the man the finger, that made both Kirkland and Fischer laugh.

All four of the men were ex-Alliance, serving in the marines. When Scott joined up Kirkland, Fischer and Greer were the first he met that was to be of his father's team and were also easily to get along with since bonding over their past military career was an easy conversation starter.

Dusty Kirkland was from Eden Prime as to what Scott remembered and first saw combat in the Theshaca raids and Torfan when he first enlisted at eighteen as a gunship operator. David Fischer an Earthborn kid out of Toronto, did his Alliance time as a fighter-jock, flying Tridents in patrol fleets back in the Skyllian Verge. And Andrew Greer the oldest out of all four of the group, was from Terra Nova, not a pilot but served in a tank battalion and fought on Elysium during the Blitz, he claimed to have met Commander Shepard first hand during combat.

Scott was the youngest marine and many of the guys especially Greer had thought he was too green for a real combat story, only believing his only action he ever encountered was a pirate raid here and there but when they found out he fought on Citadel when those crazy ass robots were pillaging the place, their aspect of him changed. The dude could handle himself, but what child of Alec Ryder couldn't.

"Everything _logged_ and _accounted_ for?" spoke Scott quoting that annoying jargon those desk-jockeys from the upper decks would say.

"Yeah." spoke Kirkland reading a shipping manifest, "Most of this shit is just extra stuff for the Nexus but all of the Hyperion's supplies have already been bolstered down for the trip.

"This is Nexus material?" said Fischer, looking all the bricks upon bricks of crates that made a complete twelve kilometer wall that was bordering along the wall of the Hyperion's cargo deck.

"As big as that station is they couldn't carry all of it?"

"No they couldn't." spoke Greer, "They had the station filled to capacity, what can't be carried the other arks had to make room for."

"That's satisfying to hear actually." said Scott, "Going to the unknown part of the cosmos always good to pack extra food, soap, and underwear." A short tinge of pain pulsed his head and Scott began to rub his temples. "Ugh…" he moaned knowing how unprofessional this looks right now but in front of the guys it seemed hilarious.

Fischer grinned maliciously "Whiskey coming back from the dead to kick you in the ass Ryder?"

"Yep...and it's winning." Scott groaned still rubbing his head.

Kirkland went to one of the unsecured crates, opening it and rummaging through some the of packages. "Here." he tosses Scott a small cylinder can, _cherry cola_ it was. "Nothing like a carbonated drink that can cure the _irish flu_."

Scott opening the soda slowly as it was not to spray out then taking a few hard gulps of the sweet fizzy soft drink.

"Don't drink too fast junior you could get a tummy ache." Greer chuckled.

"Too late for that." Scott said. His gut had been burning earlier. "Would be nice having some beer though." he said seeing that would help more.

"I did put out an order for some good old fashion Canadian larger two weeks ago." said Fischer.

"That order was denied." Kirkland interjected.

"Yeah but I got a little help with that brit in crisis response." said Fischer.

"Kosta? Ain't he an ex-cop? He would _smuggle_ for you?"

"He said he'd _help_ he didn't incline into how but I don't think he truly meant smuggling. I thought maybe he had known a guy that works in general logistics that could ease up with the weight cost." said Fischer.

"The Hyperion is designed to carry an exact allowance of weight, anything over the limit could be catastrophic." Kirkland implied.

A funny image painted in Scott's mind, all of the Hyperion's habitants dying due to a weight overhaul that'll steer their flight path into something dangerous because of some unauthorized beer. Scary but hilarious. He then thought back on Kosta whom he met earlier today, the guy was handling some cargo of his own...a couch? Either way, Scott helped him with it and noticed when he carried it, it was surprisingly heavy to carry than any other sofa he's had to handle but he didn't think much about it.

"Thanks for the soda Kirkland." said Scott finishing his drink. "It's starting to help a bit."

Kirkland smiled "I knew that whiskey was gonna spear you." He said, "But then you were too busy trying to _explore_ the Director's territory to know better."

"You were trying to get into Garson's panties!?" Greer laughed.

"Bold move Ryder but you don't _bone_ the boss just yet." Fischer spoke trying to sound as if he had experience. "You use your recon skills to scout out some nice planet with white sandy beaches, palm trees, and edible fruit, invite her over to check it out and then you try an _bone_ her."

Scott ponders at the thought… _"That could be a plan."_ But then he got back to one obstacle, "You'd think she'd want to? She is married."

Greer shot a puzzled look, "What? Who in the hell told you that."

"My sister. Sarah said she's married to Nuara."

That cause some of the guys to look at each other for a long silent minute giving Scott the variable chance that this was a joke. Then the laughter burst out.

"Garson isn't married!? And especially not Nuara!" said Greer.

"Sarah said she talked to an aide that said they tied the knot two days ago!"

More laughter continued, "Scott." Greer said calming down a bit, "My cousin works directly for Garson, I was with her a few days ago and _with_ Garson. If she and Nuara were married I'd know. And besides, why would Garson marry her old business partner?"

Scott barred at the thought for a moment but then was immediately inclined to believe Greer, he knew his cousin Suzanne worked as Garson's chief of staff and thus would get insider knowledge with the people at the top. His sister played him, no doubt about that.

" _Sarah…"_ He grumbled to himself.

"Don't get so mad about it Ryder." said Fischer, "Heard you still got some _action._ " He got up towards Scott leaning to his ear, "Who was that asari you were fooling with that said she was on the Leusinia?"

Scott had trouble with the name but it soon came to him, "Ve...Vederia? Yeah, that's it, her name was Vederia."

A loud pang of a siren echoes overhead, stopping the gentlemen in their conversation. _"Incoming shuttle, all bay personnel please stay clear."_ The intercom spoke. The ex-marines saw as one shuttle began to glide in smoothly, passing through the kinetic barrier. Recognizing who's shuttle it was they decided to meet with the passengers once they disembark from the craft.

The door opens with a pop and then a hiss as the first passenger stepped off it was Cora Harper, the men nodded their head in respect. "Lieutenant." They said as she passes by, she nods back at them with acknowledgment continuing her walk. Next was the shuttle's pilot, Linda Hayes as Scott would recall and set to be Fischer's copilot. Finally, the last two stepping off was Sarah and Alec Ryder whom they both looked to have been conversating.

"Sir!" barked the group standing upright instantly going into a salute as he stepped by them. "At ease." He grumbled, "Civilians." Alec said in a deep tone then looking straight at them, reminding them that this ship wasn't military and their days in the Alliance were in the past and on a file. It didn't matter to them, their Pathfinder was an ex- _N7_ , a former elite operative of the Systems Alliance military and one of the first to carry that rank. That alone carried strength within him and well-earned respect.

As the crew finished their cargo handling, Scott had set off from the group staring out the kinetic barrier into the vast oceans of stars looking out towards his homeworld that it was in a clear distance. _Earth_ he was gonna miss it. The summers he spent on the southern California beaches, surfing. Camping trips he and his sister spent on the mountains. The friends he made. Then there was the matter to his mother…. _her grave_ at least. Who was to tend to it? Did his father make any arrangements?

"Getting the last look at it?" a voice spoke next to him. It was Sarah who was gazing out herself.

"Yeah." Scott sighed.

"What are you going to miss the most?"

"Manhattan."

"New York?"

Scott shook his head, "No. Manhattan beach."

"Ah." Sarah smiled, "Surfing."

"You gonna miss the mountains?" Scott asked.

His sister nodded with an almost mournful smile, "Yeah. Climbing the top snowboarding back down." She stops in her words, not trying to go through the dreaded feels of homesickness.

Scott, however, was already swimming in it. "This will always be our homeworld, Sarah. No matter what part of the universe we end up Earth is our home, this planet made us, this galaxy."

"I know Scott." Sarah spoke, "But don't think that we're abandoning the Milky Way, think of it as we're bringing the Milky Way to Andromeda. In a way we kinda are."

"Yeah I know but…"

"But?"

"Mom...her grave is still back there."

Sarah steps close to her brother and touched her heart, "Remember dad's words." She then touches his, "Mom is with us."

A long sigh exhaled and Scott did not want to look at his homeworld any longer. "Goodbye Earth." Turning away from it, "And hello Andromeda."

* * *

Dr. Carlyle gently touched the wrist feeling for Scott's pulse as he looked the screen showing its readings. "Vitals are in the green." the doctor spoke. "Are you feeling okay, not last minute jitters?"

Scott rolled his eyes, "I already took my potty break, Harry."

Carlyle chuckled a grin "Just making sure. Need to make sure you're alright, especially after I heard you were feeling _strung-out_ from a night of long whiskey."

"Who told you that?"

"Lexi, after reading her morning evaluation."

Scott shook his head, feeling a little irritated. _"That asari couldn't hold water."_

"Right." said Carlyle as he inserts an I.V. into Scott's arm, "Let's get these synthetic laced neurons into your system so your body don't rot on the inside as you sleep."

The onboard PA system chimed over the intercom: _"The Hyperion is prepared for final inspection. All personnel please report to your designated stasis pods."_

"You heard the chore bell Harry." said Scott. The doctor still injecting the fluid while keeping his eyes on his medical screen checking the vitals. "Hang on." he spoke, "Just need to make sure it's... _there_!" Carlyle removes the tube, placing a small band-aid over the opened skin. "All done, you can go join your father and sister."

Scott touched the bandage, rubbing his arm a bit seeing if he should feel different but nothing came up for him to notice so he got from his seat. "Thanks bunches Harry. Nighty night!"

"Sweet dreams Scott." said Carlyle watching the young man walk off.

Scott went to the long storage hall, where everyone else had seem to gather at. There was a sharp dry chill in the air and it was dimly lit with the design of a compact storing area specifically built to hold over ten thousand stasis pods in one tightly fit area. _Cryogenics_ was the name of this storage hall and it was built to carry all of the Hyperion's colonist and crew. The hall had the pods built as a rotating wheel, placing each pod atop another onto where pods overhead were facing directly down almost forming a complete circle. The design was meant to have all the stasis pods into one area. Thousands of humans in cryogenic stasis costs a lot of energy and energy needed to be conserved to the fullest with its primary resources going if not short of: cryo, the engines and of course SAM who had to be the only conscious one up to control the ark as it was drifting in total darkness.

Life support systems and air at the cryo facility had to be on at all times. Every other room except the engine core on the Hyperion was marked _nonessential_ , even the artificial gravity had to be taken down.

Life support technicians were up all day constantly putting people into their pods, checking their vitals to make sure they were in the green and then moving into rows making way for more colonist and ark personnel. Scott looked on with arms folded as people were heading to their pods, hugging their loved ones with the casual words _"See you on the other side."_ as their goodbyes. He then peeped over to a woman who seperated herself from the crowd using that as a matter fact for she needed the space to do some _stretching_ that Scott himself was already paying dead attention. The sight as how she pulls her body with her Initiative jumpsuit hugging her form as she did it made his eyes grow wide. It didn't take but a second for Scott to realize that it was Harper, HARPER!? Doing the the vivacious body pulling. "Uhhh…" he spoke, loud enough for her to hear.

"It's good to stretch before sleep yeah?" said Cora, with her legs parted far, she then bent low pulling herself to one leg and then the other. A firm view of her toned... _backside_ coming into Scott's sight.

Scott's eyes would pop out given how even wider the went and his jaw tighten as he was about to say something that was quite bawdy but the words choked in his throat as he could hear the voice of his old commanding officer, _"She's an X.O! Restrain yourself sergeant!"_ Then came his father's voice who was just as growling and demanding, _"Keep your pecker in your pants boy! That's an order!"_ To think on it they were starting to sound the exact same.

Cora gathered herself coming out of her stretch "You okay there chief?" she said to Scott who was oddly silent. Scott snapped from his trance, "Huh? Yeah. I was thinking how I should maybe pop my back before going in." He then push at his lower back feeling a pop in his spine, then clumsily goes into a lunge, trying to break out of the sheer awkwardness of him staring at her, it wasn't working. She however fortunately walked off, a small chuckle to herself passing by.

Sarah breathed in slowly as Dr. Lexi T'Perro checked her respiratory status by placing her stethoscope on her lower back. Sarah was sitting on a small crate just outside her cryo pod when the asari decided to do one final check up before Sarah had got in, "Feeling nervous?" said Lexi checking her readings, all signs good.

"You mean having that noxious feeling as you dwell on the fact that as you sleep you hope your father's A.I. don't accidently reset course and have you drifting in dark space forever?" Sarah replied sounding trying to sound a bit humorous but the sense of dread still cracked her voice.

SAM spoke overhearing her. _**"Sarah if I may assure you. The set course towards Andromeda has been already been programed within the Hyperion's navigation mainframe. Speaking, while I'll have cognitive functions of the ark's controls I do not initially control it directly, my job is to monitor and act in case of emergency."**_

"Basically what SAM is saying is that he won't hijack the ark and take it joyriding." Scott spoke walking in to join her. She gave her brother a look, "That sounds like something _you_ would do."

Scott pretended to be offended but his sly grin said otherwise. "What!?" he says in fake disbelief, "No."

Sarah did a malicious smirk of her own, "Remember when dad came home with that Mako?" she said recalling the time of the incident when they were twelve years old.

He laughs to himself almost boasting as Lexi stopped to do his final check up. A quick scan from her omni showed that Dr. Carlyle had did a good job in keeping this young marine clean and healthy. "Kinda think of it I would do something like that." said Scott. "Just for shits and giggles. Eh SAM?"

" _ **That would be an event that deserves contemplation."**_

"Don't give the A.I. ideas." Lexi grumbled.

Scott only smiled at her, "Where's the fun doc?"

"Back on the Nexus at Garson's party." the doctor replied as in a way to remind him that _playtime_ was over. She closed her omni and went to tend to others while Scott waited for her to get out of an earshot.

"Speaking of Garson's party…" he trails on, as he quickly had remembered something. "You told me she was hitched to Nuara!" He says to her his sister almost accusatory.

"Scott." Sarah replied in kind words, "You're my brother so I'll say this love. You're a complete idiot for thinking you were going to just bang the director of the Initiative." she said bluntly, "Confident but stupid."

"Just you wait." Scott continued boasting, "Once we make it to Andromeda, I'll find the world that has the perfect sunsets to a point where Garson would practically fall in love with me."

"God, you are relentless."

"Alright you two." spoke Alec coming in stepping towards his pod. "It's time for shut eye."

"Ah what!?" said Scott, "No bedtime story." he teased. Sarah giggled. Alec rolled his eyes completely immune to his son's constant jests. "You used to wet yourself every time we told you a story." That made Sarah laugh even louder. The PA went on for a final call.

" _Attention all personnel, Cryogenic stasis is about to begin, all personnel must finish their medical evaluation and proceed to their assigned pods immediately."_

That was the Ryders cue to enter their pods. "Whelp." Alec spoke, "Let's get this over with…"

"So the real work begins?" his son finished his sentence, remembering that was his usual saying throughout his work in the Initiative. His father only smiled at him as he turned to face his kids while standing in his pod. "See you two on the other side." he spoke. A life support tech comes by to tap on the pod's console closing its hatch in a cold misty hiss.

"Sleep tight dad." said Sarah watching his pod close then being taken upwards for it to be parked overhead along with the other aligned pods. "Me next!" piped Sarah entering her pod, the same tech guy access her pod's controls with Scott watching her. "Thirty ,redits." Sarah spoke before her pod closes. "What?" said Scott.

"Thirty credits that my boots would touch the first planet we set on in Andromeda first!" The hatch begins to slowly close.

Scott rolled his eyes with a snort, "Fifty!" he says

"Deal!" his sister calls back before the door closes shut tightly. The pod is moved by the crane up towards the roof where Sarah joins their father.

"Alright, just one more Ryder." spoke the tech.

Scott enters his pod exhaling slowly, this was a little nerve racking though he did not want to admit it. He doesn't think anyone has done cryogenic stasis before but he trusted the people here these were professionals, the best and brightest on to what the galaxy could offer. Entering the pod he could the soft cushion comfort this had. It was snug but an easy fit. And even though he was standing, the pod was deep enough to give his posture an almost as if he was laying down.

The pod's VI then comes online as the engineer runs its systems, _"Vital signs normal."_ the VI spoke. "Here we go." says Scott in a subtle sigh, his heart was a bit jumpy from all the nervousness and excitement. The hatch slowly comes down with a cold hiss, bringing itself into a tight click as it shuts itself. The external sounds were completely shut off and Scott could only hear his own breathing, the crane then comes and takes the pod upward towards the roof with the other pods onto where Scott was facing down to the floor. _"Now beginning stasis mode."_ the VI then speaks again. Gusts of cold fog then seeps from the pod's tiny vents. Dry cold air blizzards in and Scott was about to shiver a bit with only peace of heat was vapor of his breath as it fogs the tiny window, he began to fill lighthead for Dr. Carlyle's medication was then kicking in. His eyes roll back and felt as if his brain was unplugging itself into a coma. The VI coming back online once more. _"Sleep well pioneer."_

* * *

 _ **A/N: Geez that took too long sorry :( I'd just wanted to add some filler in between before the events of Andromeda. I'm not trying to make the conversation long or dragging so if I am don't be scared to let me know I'm really trying not to if it seems that way.**_


End file.
